France terrorist attack suspect took selfie with beheading victim

French special Police forces escort a woman from a residential building during a raid in Saint-Priest, near Lyon, France, June 26, 2015 (Reuters / Emmanuel Foudrot ) / Reuters

The attacker behind the gruesome decapitation and raid on a gas factory in France is believed to have taken a selfie with the victim’s head, which according to sources, he sent to yet unknown recipients believed to be registered in North America.

While Le Monde reported the number to be Canadian, some
unconfirmed reports suggest that the recipient could have been in
Syria when the gruesome selfie was sent out. Two anonymous French
officials told AP, that they are working on tracking down the
recipient.

So far no official international link to possible terror groups
has been established by the authorities.

Canada has confirmed being involved in the case, but has refused
to share the details of the investigation.

“While I cannot comment on operational matters of national
security, we are assisting the French authorities with their
investigation,” Jean-Christophe de Le Rue, a spokesman for
Canada's Public Safety Minister said.

Friday’s terrorist attack on a French factory in
Saint-Quentin-Fallavier left one person dead and two injured,
after the suspect rammed his vehicle into an area containing
flammable liquids, causing an explosion.

The site of the actual beheading is not yet known to
investigators, but the victim had likely been strangled
beforehand. Police found the head of the victim dangling from the
plant’s fence, framed by black flag used by Islamic State
militants.

After Salhi’s arrest at the Air Products factory, his wife and
sister, as well as an unknown fourth suspect, were also taken
into custody. A spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor’s office
said that one of the four suspects detained over the attack has
been released.

During his detention the 35-year-old shouted “Allahou
Akbar” (God is great), according to police. According to
prosecution, the suspect is now cooperating with the authorities,
after initially refusing to speak.

Salhi is believed to have been radicalized after contact with a
man suspected of preparing attacks in Indonesia with Al-Qaeda
militants in the early 2000s, a source in the investigation told
the AFP. He had been investigated in the past about his alleged
links with Islamist militants, but had no criminal record.

French President Francois Hollande held a security meeting with
ministers on Saturday. “We have no doubt that the attack was
to blow up the building. It bears the hallmarks of a terrorist
attack,” Holandes said.

Hollande's office meanwhile has announced that the president will
convene a meeting with top parliamentary leaders about the matter
on Tuesday.

Speaking after a ministerial meeting Interior Minister Bernard
Cazeneuve vowed that the government would “continue to work
relentlessly” against terrorism.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls warned Saturday that France faced the
possibility of more attacks to come.

“It's difficult for a society to live for years under the
threat of attack,” he told AFP on a flight back from Bogota,
adding, “the question is not ... if there will be another
attack, but when.”

The government raised the security alert level to the maximum
across the country in response to the attack, as hundreds
gathered in the town of Saint-Quentin-Fallavier to observe a
minute's silence.